I’ve Returned to the WP Classic Editor Plugin: Here’s Why…

13 March 2026

Yesterday I changed the way I add fresh content to the site. Instead of using the WP Classic Editor plugin, I switched to Gutenberg Blocks. Now I’ve switched back again. Gutenberg Blocks seems to use more resources than the Classic Editor. It slowed down the backend of the site, and made adding fresh content or editing existing content a tortuous experience. Perhaps things may have been different if A Passion for Horror wasn’t hosted on a shared server, but, like most sites, it is. Then again, perhaps the Gutenberg editor would work better if the site had fewer pages. Regardless of the reasons behind the issues, I don’t think the Block Editor is a good match for this site.

Unfortunately, due to the backend problems I was experiencing, switching back to the Classic Editor wasn’t as easy as I hoped. When I tried to re-install the plugin, the process dragged. I sat, and watched, and waited. Then I got a message stating the update had failed. I couldn’t install it!. That’s a first! I’ve never had problems installing a plugin!

Ever!

After several attempts, I managed to get the WP Classic Editor plugin installed, and working again. With a familiar interface and none of the drag or lag, it was like welcoming back an old friend. I only hope I can keep it.

Although WordPress plans to discontinue the Classic Editor at some point in the future, the goalposts keep moving. The original plan was to provide support for the plugin until 31 December 2021. Then, because a lot of webmasters were not adopting the block editor for their sites, WP extended support for the editor throughout 2022. The extensions continued. There is currently talk of the plugin being discontinued this year, but, the Classic Editor presently has more than 9 million installs. That sends a pretty strong message that many people don’t want to use Gutenberg Blocks on their websites. However, with an estimated 475 million – 810 million websites running WordPress, worldwide, It’s still just a drop in the ocean, so the WP Classic Editor plugin still has a questionable future.

Yesterday, when I switched to Gutenberg Blocks, I expected a few teething troubles, but the impact on the backend of my site, and the slowed editing experience, came as a shock. The Block Editor offers a few advantages, for instance, it was quicker to add footnotes to posts, but it took around three times longer to add a single page to the site. A task that would have normally taken me no more than 2o to 20 minutes, took more than an hour and a half! That’s unacceptable. I know WP has big plans for Gutenberg, and Blocks are just the start but, in my opinion, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

As for me, moving forward, I plan to keep using the WP Classic Editor Plugin instead of the Block Editor. If WP removes support, I will install an alternative plugin–several are available. Then, if at some point it becomes impossible to continue adding content without using the Block Editor, I will switch to an alternative content management system. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but, if it does, it won’t be the first time I’ve had to migrate a site or start doing things differently.

Since switching back to the old editor, I have optimized the site database and cleared the cache, in the hopes that these actions will prevent any problems caused due to switching to-and-fro between editors.

If you notice any problems while you are visiting the site, I’d appreciate it if you would let me know, either by sending a message via the site contact form or leaving a comment in the comment section below.

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